Written by J.T. Baroni
Please note this review is for the revised edition of The Legend of Rachel Petersen, released in June 2023. Having not read the 2011 original, I can’t comment on any changes made, just the book in front of me.
Author J.T. Baroni once stumbled upon a lone grave in the middle of the woods. I mention this, not to start this review with a piece of trivia, but for the bearing it has on The Legend of Rachel Petersen. The eerie sight inspired Baroni to write this very novel. As art generally imitates life, the novel tells the tale of aspiring author, Christian Kane, who stumbles upon an unmarked grave in the middle of the woods, which inspires him to write a novel about it.
This isn’t to say that The Legend of Rachel Petersen is a biographical account of the author writing his novel. Instead, it’s a creepy ghost story. While there are certainly horror elements, the most horrific acts told in the tale are perpetrated by people, and happen outside the confines of genre, or even storytelling. While I won’t reveal them in this review, as that would spoil some of the novel’s major moments, if you’re likely to be triggered by a book that delves into humanity’s ills, please tread carefully. These ills, however, are not the focus of the book; the ghost story is. Rather than outright horror, the book features a creepy undercurrent that slowly builds until it reaches its conclusion; a thriller that gets inside its readers’ heads.
As mentioned above, I am aiming to avoid spoilers, as the less the reader knows about the book going in, the more they will enjoy it. With that said, one of the book’s more interesting aspects is its structure. While not broken up into parts, The Legend of Rachel Petersen is told in three distinct acts. The first act sets the scene and introduces the book’s protagonist, Christian, and his world. Starting the book as a highly respected sports writer, it chronicles his journey to becoming an author, and the sequence of events that lead him to discovering Rachel Petersen’s grave. The second act is a story within a story, as Christian writes a novel telling an account of Rachel’s story. The third and final act is a chilling tale about what comes after writing the book.
At 276 pages in paperback (or an estimated 237 pages in EPUB, as the book itself amusingly comments on), The Legend of Rachel Petersen is not a particularly long read, but feels longer thanks to its structure. Without realising how the book is structured, it felt like the first act was too long, spending too much time on Christian’s life and the events that led him to discovering the grave. As much as it fits the three act structure, a more streamlined version of events would have brought the book’s haunting elements sooner. The second act, which is largely Christian’s novel, serves as a great storytelling device. Had this been expanded into a novel on its own, it would have been an enjoyable read, but by nestling it between the other acts, it adds an extra dimension to the book. There’s not much I can say about the third act without spoiling too much, but it amplifies the narrative’s chilling nature, and adds some entertaining twists to keep readers on their toes. The three acts feel a little disjointed, but this is to be expected, given the way the book’s broken up.
Through the book’s first and third acts, the prose is written lightly, almost in a casual style. It’s told from Christian’s perspective and fits his character and the modern setting, but it feels at odds with the haunting story. The prose also tells, rather than shows, at various points, which impacts its flow. The prose through the story within the story flows better, feeling more natural. Set between the US civil war and the 1950s, it captures the storytelling sensibilities of those eras. The book’s characters all have their own voices, though the dialogue sometimes feels stilted and not entirely natural.
As a character, Christian isn’t entirely likeable. It’s difficult to root for him through the story. Many of the supporting characters he interacts with feel two-dimensional, though most of them only appear in the book for a short amount of time. The characters in Christian’s book, however, are more clearly drawn, and I thoroughly enjoyed following their escapades.
While a book’s protagonist and supporting characters can often make or break a book, in horror, or lighter ghost stories, they become less important. Such books aren’t designed to be character studies, their primary purpose is to thrill and chill the reader. As a ghost story, The Legend of Rachel Petersen does just that. Again, for fear of spoiling the book and the impact of its paranormal elements, I can’t discuss them in detail, but they are well formulated and paced, instilling an off-kilter sense for the reader as they wonder what will happen next.
The Legend of Rachel Petersen is a haunting ghost story that offers plenty of twists and turns as it gets into the reader’s head. Despite the first act feeling too long and the prose and dialogue not entirely working for me, it does exactly what a thriller ought to do: thrill. While the novel’s structure feels uneven, its story within a story device adds a layer of complexity to it that serves to heighten its thrills.
Favourite Passage
Looking at Thaddeus while slowly shaking his head in utter disgust, Seth absolutely could not believe how stupid and thoughtless his older brother could be at times. He wondered what consequences Thaddeus’s mindless act of insanity would produce this time. Probably fatal ones, he reasoned. Could his dream have been a premonition? Was his entire family in jeopardy thanks to his idiotic brother?
The Legend of Rachel Petersen, Chapter Ten
The Legend of Rachel Petersen was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.
The Legend of Rachel Petersen is available in both physical and eBook forms from retailers, including—but not limited to—Amazon.
Note: I do not post scores for reviews on this website, but do post them on my Amazon and Goodreads reviews:
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Interested in purchasing The Legend of Rachel Petersen?
Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.
The Legend of Rachel Petersen (Revised Edition)
wastanley.com 